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TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (January 24, 1996)From: TRKNWS-L <[email protected]>Turkish News DirectoryCONTENTS[01] NO COALITION BREAKTHROUGH[02] THREE CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR PARLIAMENT SPEAKER[03] PKK IS CLAIMED TO HAVE 300 SYRIAN MILITANTS[04] ISRAEL LOOKS TO TURKEY FOR WATER[05] DENKTAS RULES OUT UNILATERAL TROOP REDUCTION[06] GHALI SAYS HE IS HOPEFUL OF PROGRESS IN CYPRUS[07] TURKEY AND BOSNIA SIGN MILITARY TRAINING DEAL[08] ABOU SAYS TURKEY IS READY FOR CUSTOMS UNION[09] MILITARY ANGLE TO TURCO-ISRAEL COOPERATION[10] MORE RUSSIAN PRAISE FOR TURKEY[11] TURKEY SIGNS A DEAL WITH KAZAKHSTAN[12] TURKEY TO FINANCE BAKU-SUPSA OIL PIPELINETURKISH PRESS REVIEWWEDNESDAY JANUARY 24, 1996Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning[01] NO COALITION BREAKTHROUGHA meeting was held yesterday between True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller and Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz. Emerging from the two-hour meeting, Ciller, heading the current caretaker coalition, said she had offered Yilmaz a coalition partnership based on a rotating premiership with each leader heading the government for half of the five-year term. Ciller, saying she had already overreached the limits of the mandate her party had given her for a compromise, said she should take the first run at leading the projected partnership, to ensure the continuity of government and so as not to hamper the steps taken for the settlement of the problems facing the country. But Yilmaz disagreed at the joint press conference, saying he had told Ciller that the "nation wanted a change in the shopwindow", and that he asked Ciller "to reconsider her views about the turns". "If this is not done, we have serious reservations about the chances for success of the new government, and I have told her that we would not want to be a party to it" Yilmaz said. "I see no reason for despair" Yilmaz told the news conference. /All papers/[02] THREE CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR PARLIAMENT SPEAKERNone of the three remaining candidates in the race for election to the Parliament Speakership managed to win the required absolute majority of 367 votes in Tuesday's second round of voting in the Turkish legislature. The third round of voting will be held today between Mustafa Kalemli (ANAP), Aydin Menderes (RP) and Ismet Sezgin (DYP). In yesterday's voting, Kalemli received 209, Menderes 160 and Sezgin 150 votes. In the third round, candidates need to win at least 267 votes (a simple majority) in order to be elected speaker. /All papers/[03] PKK IS CLAIMED TO HAVE 300 SYRIAN MILITANTSApproximately 300 Syrians are claimed to be part of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in northern Iraq and Turkey, according to security reports. These reports say that between the years 1987 and 1996, 125 militants of Syrian origin were among the PKK terrorists captured by Turkish forces or who surrendered. Some of the Syrians once active in northern Iraq have since left the terrorist organization to return to their country while some joined the Iraqi Kurdistan Democracy Party. It is believed that there are still 300 Syrians among the members of the PKK in northern Iraq and Turkey. /All papers/[04] ISRAEL LOOKS TO TURKEY FOR WATERThe aggravating water shortage of Israel is likely to sharpen its interest in tapping Turkey's surplus resources, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. Israel is particularly interested in buying water from the Manavgat river flowing into the Mediterranean, in the province of Antalya, when the project, involving the construction of a loading terminal at the mouth of the river is complete. /All papers/[05] DENKTAS RULES OUT UNILATERAL TROOP REDUCTIONTurkish Cypriot President Rauf Denktas has ruled out any unilateral reduction in the number of Turkish troops on Cyprus. Pointing out that Greek Cypriots are continuing a massive arms build-up, Denktas told the Turkish Cypriot daily "Birlik" (Union) that his people should not be expected to sacrifice their security. The Greek Cypriot government has procured dozens of Greek-made armoured personnel carriers and Russian infantry fighting vehicles in recent months. Denktas said that military preparations were "not an inducement to the Turkish Cypriots to consent to a reduction of Turkish forces". "Had I been in their place, seemingly wanting a reduction and final withdrawal of Turkish forces from Cyprus, I would have done the opposite of spending money on new arms and armaments" Denktas said. "So, the Turkish military presence would, by itself, be reduced to a minimum" he added. /All papers/[06] GHALI SAYS HE IS HOPEFUL OF PROGRESS IN CYPRUSUN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali said that he was hopeful of progress in Cyprus. Briefing reporters on Monday night after a meeting with the Security Council members, the UN Chief said efforts were underway vis-a-vis the Cyprus problem, but he would not further comment "at this stage". Answering a question by Turkey's Anatolia news agency, Ghali said: "Our aim is to continue the talks process that we have started. I personally work on this issue". /Cumhuriyet/[07] TURKEY AND BOSNIA SIGN MILITARY TRAINING DEALTurkey will provide military training to the Moslem-led Bosnian government army under an agreement signed by generals of the two sides, official Bosnian radio reported on Monday night. The protocol was signed in Sarajevo by Turkey's general Ersim Yaltsin and Bosnian General Rasim Delic, the radio reported. "We expect huge aid from Turkey which has a long military tradition" Delic was quoted as saying. "This is only a beginning. Full military training is expected" Yaltsin was quoted as saying.Meanwhile, Turkey yesterday dispatched fresh military equipment to Bosnia in preparatory to increasing the number of its troops stationed in Zenica. The material was sent aboard a ship which sailed to Split from the port of Derince near Istanbul. A frigate will reportedly escort the transport vessel throughout its voyage. Addressing the sending-off ceremony, Lt.General Rasim Bedir said that Turkish troops were accustomed now to international peacekeeping duties, having fought under the UN banner in Korea and having served in Somalia before Bosnia. The units, which will reinforce the Turkish contingent in Zenica, will be flown from Ankara tomorrow. /All papers/ [08] ABOU SAYS TURKEY IS READY FOR CUSTOMS UNIONTurkey is ready for customs union (CU) but the biggest adjustment will be in attitudes, Serge Abou, the European Commission's official responsible for Cyprus, Turkey, Malta and Slovenia said on Monday. Abou, a supporter of the CU from the beginning, said that his recent visit to Turkey has shown that Ankara was ready for CU with the EU. He particularly praised the adjustment made by the textile sector, but added that other sectors should follow. Abou noted that he no longer carries the title "EU's observer for Cyprus" which was given to him during the 1994-95 term but was never recognized by Turkey. /All papers/[09] MILITARY ANGLE TO TURCO-ISRAEL COOPERATIONIt has been reported that General Cevik Bir will soon make an official visit to Israel in order to strengthen strategic ties between Turkey and Israel. Cooperation between the two countries is growing in the economic, cultural and political spheres, but with the visit to Israel of General Bir, ties between the two countries will take on a new dimension.It is anticipated that among other things, Bir will talk about a deal on updating Turkey's F-4 fighter planes, the Middle East peace process and military mechanisms designed to further that process. /Cumhuriyet/ [10] MORE RUSSIAN PRAISE FOR TURKEYThe Russian press has once again praised the way Turkish officials dealt with the Avrasya affair-the case of the Black Sea ferry boat hijacked by Chechen gunmen. One Pravda newspaper said that it was a good thing the ferry boat had been hijacked to Turkey and not Russia.The paper went on to say that Turkey had shown how to deal with the "Kremlin's terror" tactics without firing a bullet. /Cumhuriyet/ [11] TURKEY SIGNS A DEAL WITH KAZAKHSTANThe Cabinet has signed into effect a protocol initialled by Turkey and Kazakhstan on July 11, 1995. The agreement opens the way for more cooperation in the areas of science, agriculture and technical development.The decision was published in the Official Gazette yesterday and foresees cooperation especially in connection with animal husbandry, village affairs, the food and fish sectors and related agricultural industries. /Cumhuriyet/ [12] TURKEY TO FINANCE BAKU-SUPSA OIL PIPELINEFolowing a proposition agreed to during a meeting in Baku, Turkey will finance the Baku-Supsa oil pipeline project, a major project to carry Azeri early-produced oil.In the meeting, Turkey proposed a project to build the Baku-Supsa oil pipeline according to "Build-Operate-Transfer"(BOT) model and would also finance the project. The suggestion that Turkey will also finance the project made the deal more attractive. /Hurriyet/ |
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